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Nike drops FuelBand, exits wearable device market 0

Nike is repositioning itself in the wearable tech market.

The sports apparel giant has one of the pioneering products in wearable technology with its Nike + FuelBand fitness band that tracks the user’s workout and activity progress.

nikefuelband_artBut according to a report in CNET, Nike is getting out the hardware business to focus more on fitness and athletic software and apps. The company shelved plans for a slimmer version of the FuelBand device that was to come out in the fall, but will continue to sell the FuelBand + SE that has been on the market since November.

Nike’s more bears watching by those focusing on the wearables market, which is still looking to catch on with the mainstream public.

Interest in wearables is projected to grow, based on a recent report by IDC that says shipments of the devices are expected to more than triple by 2018 as they become functional, stylish and popular with the general public.

Complex accessories like the FuelBand and Fitbit fitness and activity monitors that operate when connected to a smartphone, tablet or PC are expected to lead shipments, according to IDC, followed by smart accessories like smartwatches and devices like Google Glass.

Yet the nascent market for wearables remains small at the present time, and, according to CNET, Nike had been looking to get out of wearable fitness devices for some time. The FuelBand accounted for only 10 percent of sales in the fitness band market. And, companies like Google, Apple and Samsung are investing heavily in wearable tech and loom as competition.

The end of the FuelBand device may be a setback for Nike, but not necessarily for wearable tech.

 

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More ads on mobile, more video on social media 0

Ads are getting more play on mobile devices, a new report says.

Citrix released its Mobile Analytics Report for the first quarter of 2014 this week. The company specializes in the creation of virtual workspaces, networking and cloud infrastructure to enable new ways for people to work better. In its summary of key findings gleaned from a survey of its tier one customer base, says this:

  • Mobile ad reach has doubled that of 2013, yet only 1 in 20 subscribers are served video ads. Citrix believed the number of subscribers exposed to video ads is expected to grow, in part by features such as auto-play for video ads.
  • Health apps are booming. The Citrix survey finds that 52 percent of subscribers are using their mobile health apps now, as compared to when it was first downloaded. The 10 most popular apps by usage are related to fitness and running, weight loss and nutrition, and women’s health.
  • Video is growing dramatically on social media, comprising 32 percent on the networks, while images make up 63 percent and text 5 percent.

Physicians and their Mobile Devices 0

Gone are the days where you would see a hospital physician huddled in a report room somewhere madly fingering through volumes of texts and journals looking for information on a particular diagnosis or medication.

Today, you’re more likely to see a physician (not only in the hospital, but in the family doctor offices and dental offices) madly tapping away on an iPad or iPhone.

The availability and sheer number of medical apps in the various app stores have soared in the past few years, thanks to the popularity, portability and storage capacity of the smart mobile devices of today. A visit online to the Apple AppStore as an example will make this quite apparent as you browse through the “medical” category.

Not only are there numerous apps for keeping track of patient lists and all the valuable information required there, such as allergies and past medical history, but there’s also a fair number of popular diagnostic resources that have been created into an app.

A great example is the Merck Manual, which has been around in paper book form for well over 100 years. It’s an extremely popular resource for physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals looking for information on health-related topics, specifically related to symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

The Merck Manual is now an app, and a pretty good one for that matter.

For $35 you can download the universal app onto both your iPad and iPhone and you’re good to go. You instantly have access to this essential medical reference book right there on your iPhone. If you also download a medication reference app and an app for physiotherapy recommendations, you really can have an entire medical library for reference literally at your fingertips.

Just think of how beneficial this can be for medical students.

You can see how the popularity of mobile devices and app development has really changed the way healthcare professionals practice their work. It’s become a quick and trusted way to access information, track health records, save paper and make everyone more productive.

Link:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/merck-manual-professional/id331016312?mt=8